New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-21
ETC BTryG CIVIL SERVYCE REFORM

| FIGHTING CIVIL SERPICE REfOhM'
We have taken pains, from time TO time,
to show that the Democratic party, as whole
is Enthusiastically hostile to Civil Service nc
form. This has been proved many tunes
both BY words and actions and the lack OF
them. But we have never seen 1t more Doiuly
exhibited than in the report presented 10 inc
Democratic State Committee OF massachusetts
by the sub committee, which has cofneto DC
popularity known as the "Smelimg Com-
mittee." This body was sent out to discover
bow many "offensve Republican partlsans"
we've still retained in Federal offices throughout
Che State. The report is full OF bitterness
against the Civil Service law and agalnSu
the Administration for its alleged pollcyi
and is probably better exponent of tho
real sentiments of tho party than any of the
convention platforms, even those III which
there have been indirect attacks upon Civil
Service Reform.
The "Smcllng Committee find that there
are not less than AGA Federal employees In
Massachusetts, and of these 3,S2S, or 80 per.
cent are Republicans. drawing from the
United States Treasury not less than $1,000
600 per ann,lm." They complain bitterly thai
these Republicans are retained in office, while
Democrats must wait and wade through the
slow and oftentimes unsatisfactory process of
q Civil Service examinations" The committee
profess themselves at loss to understand
why this should be so. With ludicrous
naivetc, they complain of an impression which
seems to prevail among nearly all the heads
OF the various departments that the retention
of Republicans lis in some way involved IN
the reform of the Civil Service, and that this
reform is Of more consequence than the sue
cess of the Democratic party" q" In some
way,v indeed, The retention of clerks. Or
in other words, the abstenton from the re-
moval of clerks, upon change of Administra-
ton, is of the very essence of Civil Service he
form. Mr. Curtis in his Newport address
said "The substitution of fit Democrat
for a fit Republican, merely for the reason
that he is a Democrat, is the very EVIL that
Reform would correct" The committee de
nolince Collector Saltonstaii for taking the
ground which he could not fail to take without
utter Observation-Disclosures he cannot remove
subordinates for alleged partisanship prior
to March A. 1885; whine about Democrats
who profess TO find in the party platforms
and in instructions from Washington JustIica-
ton for retaining "thesc old and confirmed
enemies of the party; complain thai the
Boston Collector and postmaster arc out OF
sympathy with "tbe plain people,; predict
that the people will not "long remain attached
to an Administration whose official representa-
tiyes and mistaken, suicidal policy they have
so much reason to repudiate and condemn"
The same spirit of hostility to Civil Service
Reform was seen in the speeches and platform
Of the Democratic Convention yesterday.
President Clevelands supporters who have
found it impossible to explain his course In
MARYLAND, Indiana and many other states upon
any theory of sincere adhesion TO Reform, are
in the habit of turning to Massachusetts To
show that he does resist his party manfully
The contradiction is only on the surface. inc
explanation is easy, and we are indebted FOR IT,
il we remember rightly, to a Democratic news
naper. "The SUM-" Mr.. Cleveland knows
that he can never hope to approach victory
in Massachusetts without the support of so
called Independent Republicans. There he
pursues a course therefore. which he thinks
will win the votes of such men. The Demo-
Gratis he is sure Of for the Democratic party
NAV yelp and bark and gnash its teeth after
the Intellectual manner Of the Massachusetts
Convention yesterday, but it always comes
crouchimg back, like a whipped dog, along
sido of the regular ticket. In Massachusetts
the President is a Mugwump and Civil
Service Reformer in Maryland he is Dem
ocrat and a German man.